Leyda was in the foster care system in the state of Illinois and is currently a sophomore undergraduate student at the University of Illinois-Champaign Urbana, where she is pursuing her degree in Social Work with a focus in Social Justice, Sociology, Gender and Woman's Studies, and Latino Studies. Her prior experience with OMNI Youth Services has provided hands-on experience with parents and children in the current system and this will be a formative tool in the Foster Youth Internship (FYI) Program